NaruHina The past
by spoiledpuppy
Summary: a one shot naruhina fic. originally posted on deviantart with pretty good reviews hope you like!


NaruHina The Past

He wondered how long it had been since the last time he was home. Two years? It seemed longer to him. But he was just glad to be home.  
Tsunade's face on the Hokage rock had baffled him; he could never imagine her up there among the legends of the past. Oh well he, Uzumaki Naruto, would be up there too some day.  
He wondered what his old haunts looked like now. It had only been two years, but he hadn't taken a good look around for a longer time than that. In this sense he wondered what his friends looked like.  
Chuckling to himself, he imagined what everyone might look like. Did Sakura grow out her hair? Is Kakashi wearing an eye patch now? Is Chouji still as fat or is he bigger?  
Oh well, he wouldn't know till he started looking around.

He couldn't help but past the old playground. He remembered playing there as a kid, days of sitting around and doing nothing but sleep and have fun, that's when he suddenly recalled his old pranks like the time he put super glue on the slide so everyone got stuck, or the time he painted graffiti all over the Hokage Rock.  
Chuckling to himself he continued on his path down memory lane.

"Thanks again for helping me with this Hinata." Shizune said gratefully once again.  
"I told you that it was alright." Hinata said exasperated for the millionth time. She wondered when Shizune was finally going to stop thanking her.  
"Sorry, but it would've been a nightmare to sort all these records myself. Tsunade was supposed to but she's too lazy to do it right." Shizune chuckled.  
Hinata silently agreed. She wondered how anything ever got done with these two. Nobody had bothered to organize the record room in a year, despite the constant use by shinobi and other officials. She silently marveled how anyone could stand this mess.  
"Alright Hinata would you hand me that stack over there?" Shizune asked.  
"Sure. One sec." She responded. Upon picking up the stack she suddenly recognized one of the books. She took it out of the stack and handed the rest to Shizune.  
"What? Do you like ninja dictionaries?" Shizune asked her curiously.  
"No. More like what's inside." Hinata responded. She opened it up, and after quickly leafing through it she took out a small pressed flower.  
"How did that get there?" The assistant asked.  
Hinata just smiled to herself and responded "I put it there. Someone very close to me gave it to me years ago, so I put it in here to preserve it. But I couldn't find the book again till now."  
"Aw. That's so sweet. Now could you hand me that book if you're done with it?" Shizune asked impatiently.  
Hinata complied and gave her the dictionary she was no longer interested in it. The finding of the flower had brought new memories to her mind that she hadn't thought of in awhile.  
"Shizune, I'll catch up with you later, ok?" She said as she walked out the door.  
"But aren't you going to help me with this?" Shizune yelled after her, hoping that Hinata wouldn't leave her with all this work.  
"I'll help you later!" She called back. Hinata was too busy in the past, at the moment. Years ago back when she first met Naruto.

"Hinata don't be out long." One of her family members called.  
"I won't!" The little girl called back. She had never left the Hyuuga household on her own and unattended, so she was both nervous and excited. Nervous because it was the first time she walked the village on her own without guidan**c**e, and could get easily lost, and excited because she could do whatever she wanted for the next few hours.  
She loved the sights and sounds of the village. It was so different from the stuffy air of the hyuuga complex.  
She spotted some other girls her age and decided to go talk to them. She had never seen any of them before and was nervous as to how to speak to them. That's when it hit her; she had never talked to another girl her age before, she had idea what to say!  
She wondered if it was too late to turn around and pretend that she hadn't walked up. Right before she enacted this new plan one of the girls spotted her.  
"Who're you?" The girl asked.  
Now realizing that it was far too late to sneak away, she turned to face them and looked at them for the first time.  
The one who had spoken was a green eyed girl with short pink hair, a bit of a large forehead, and a ribbon in her hair. Another was a girl with short blond hair parted near the middle, and blue green eyes. The last girl was far older, maybe by a year or two, with brown hair pulled into buns, with brown eyes.  
"I asked you a question." The pink haired girl said. "Are you deaf?" She asked, now annoyed.  
"Oh! Uh s-sorry. I'm H-Hinata." She responded quickly, hoping to not irritate the girl more.  
"I've never seen you before." The blond girl said.  
"I-I don't usually g-get to walk around the v-village often." Hinata stammered quietly. She couldn't believe how scared she was. I don't have anything to fear, they're just girls like me.  
"What? Afraid we're going to eat you?" The girl with buns asked.  
"That sounds like fun." The pink haired girl joked.  
They're going to eat me?! Hinata thought and with that fainted.

She opened her eyes drowsy from sleep.  
"I can't believe she fainted!!" A voice exclaimed clearly baffled.  
"What did you guys do?" Another voice questioned.  
"Nothing we were just joking about eating her and she bugged out and fainted!" A third voice explained.  
"Ha ha ha. What were you going to eat her with? Ketchup?" Yet another voice joked heartedly.  
"That's not funny." A voice responded.  
"Hey I think she's waking up!" The first voice said.  
Hinata opened her eyes to find many more staring down on her. Suddenly remembering what had happened she bolted upwards only to face many more children her age.  
"Hey calm down." A boy with black hair pulled into a ponytail and brown eyes said warily.  
She suddenly realized she was in a completely different place than before. There were lots of strange structures and she herself was on a bench.  
"W-where am I?" She asked afraid.  
"The playground." Another boy with fang-like markings on his face replied.  
"We're sorry for scaring you. We were only joking." The pink haired girl from before said apologetically.  
"I didn't think you'd take it literally." The girl with buns said laughing. "It was so cute!"  
"Oh. It's ok really!" Hinata blurted out now completely embarrassed that she had fainted.  
"I don't think we properly introduced ourselves. I'm Ino." The blond girl told her. "This is Sakura," she said pointing to the pink haired girl, "and Tenten." this time pointing to the girl with buns.  
"I'm Shikamaru." The boy with the ponytail said. "This is Kiba," pointing to the boy with the red markings on his face, "and Chouji," this time pointing to a somewhat plump boy with spirals on his cheeks.  
"It's n-nice to meet you all." Hinata stammered.  
"Wanna play ninja with us Hinata?" Ino asked sweetly.  
"Uh s-sure!" Hinata replied, even though she had no idea what the game was.  
"C'mon then" Sakura said taking Hinata's hand and leading her over to another group of kids. "Hey guys this is Hinata. She's gonna play too!"  
"Ok." The other kids responded simultaneously.  
Hinata silently wondered if she would ever learn all these names as the teams were being decided, and the attacking and hiding sides were also chosen. She ended up on Shikamaru's team, along with Ino, which ended up being the hiding team.  
"Ok. Now we have to find hiding places. Pick a good one Hinata!" Ino called as she ran to find one for herself.  
Hinata eventually found her own hiding area behind a dumpster close enough where she could hear the voices of the other team, but far enough away so it wasn't so obvious. As she crouched there she thought about all her new friends, and about how long it would be until she got caught.  
"You're the new girl right?" An unfamiliar voice asked.  
Afraid that she had already got found, she looked behind her reluctantly to meet face to face a boy around her age with blond hair, cerulean eyes, and whisker- like birth marks. She couldn't help but feel that she had seen that look in his eyes before.  
"Uh yeah I'm Hinata." She responded uncertainly, when she suddenly remembered he was on her team.  
"Do you mind if I hide here too? It's too late to go anywhere else." He said with a big grin on his face.  
"Oh uh sure! There's plenty of room!" She said quickly moving to make room for him.  
"Thanks. You're a lifesaver!" He responded sitting beside her.  
She suddenly realized what a small space it was.  
"I'm Naruto. You're Hinata right?" He asked curiously.  
"Uh yeah I am!" She said quickly once again. It baffled her why she was so nervous and jumpy at his every word, while at the same time she was elated that he knew her name.  
"That's a cute name!" Naruto said happily. "Are you ok?" he asked suddenly.  
She was suddenly self conscious of the heat in her cheeks.  
"Are you getting sick?" He asked now worried, he put his hand on her forehead to check her temperature.  
Hinata flinched at his touch. She had no idea why she was acting this way, she had never felt anything like this before she herself wondered if she was sick. "I-I'm fine Naruto!" She said now retreating from his hand.  
"Do you like ramen?" He asked out of nowhere.  
Baffled by the sudden subject change she answered, "Ramen?"  
"You know Ichiraku ramen?" He pressed.  
"Oh! Uh yea I've had his before, it's so good!" She said wondering where that came from.  
"I like the beef flavor! But chicken is so good too! I can never decide so i just have him decide." He said now with a huge smile.  
Now talking on and on about ramen and flavors, Hinata felt herself calming down, while every once and awhile offering input.  
"You really like ramen, don't you Naruto? Are you going to be a ramen chef?" She inquired curiously.  
"No way! I'm not going to have time for ramen when I'm Hokage!" He stated proudly.  
"Hokage?" She asked taken off guard.  
"Yeah the village leader! For some reason no one takes me seriously. Many people don't make eye contact and I don't get why! Most people want nothing to do with me." Naruto's eyes now clouding with sadness.  
"Naruto...." Hinata couldn't help but feel sorry for her friend, and suddenly realized that her friend was alone like her. He knows what being alone is.  
"But all that's going to change when I become Hokage!" His eyes now were changing from sad to strong. "You'll see Hinata! When I become Hokage everyone will have no choice but to respect me, and acknowledge me! You probably don't believe me, like everyone else, but that's the fact! I will be Hokage one day!" Naruto said proudly for all to hear.  
And now she realized that there was something different about him. She was afraid of being heard, and being made fun of, but Naruto was proud of his dreams and wasn't afraid of what people thought. She couldn't help but admire him for that.  
"I do believe you Naruto. You want that more than anything and you will never give up. And as long as you do you will become Hokage I can feel it!" She said happily and she was certain of it. Nothing could stop him in her opinion.  
"Thanks Hina-" Naruto started to say before they both got conked in the head with a toy shuriken.  
"Ha I got you guys!" A kid called out.  
"How can you expect to hide if you talk so loud?" Another kid called.  
"Oops. I guess it's my fault we got found, huh?" Naruto laughed as he stood up. "Don't fire anymore you got us!" He called to them mockingly. "C'mon Hinata." He said holding his hand out to her.  
Hinata took his hand, not realizing that this was the beginning of a new friendship.

"Is that? Hey Sakura!" He called out overjoyed to see his old teammate.  
When she turned around he could see that she really hadn't changed much in the time that had passed. She still had short hair, green eyes, and a slightly large forehead. But happily he noticed that she was finally shorter than him.  
"Naruto? You're back? And you're taller?" She remarked baffled at his growth spurt.  
"Yeap guess you're finally gonna have to go on a date with me!" He joked playfully.  
"Not in this lifetime." She stated as a matter of fact.  
"I knew it." He sighed. "So anything new?"  
"Well all of our friends, including me, are chuunin." Sakura said absent mindedly.  
"No way! No fair! I was away, you guys shouldn't have gone on without me!!" Naruto babbled shocked that he was the only genin of their group.  
"Hey we have our own lives too you know." Sakura said laughing at his embarrassment.  
The two continued on down the street to catch up and exchange stories.

Sakura had suddenly got an idea. Everyone knows that Hinata likes Naruto, except for Naruto himself, but she has yet to tell him, so since they have yet to see each other how about she drop some hints that she's available.  
"So Naruto, remember when we first met Hinata?" She asked him.  
"Hinata? Yea I remember, she was so shy back then. Hey is she still shy?" He asked curiously.  
"More or less, sometimes she's super quiet where you can't hear her but mainly she's a little butterfly always willing to help. She talks a lot more now. You'd be surprised!" Sakura told him cheerfully.  
"Does she still look the same like you?" Naruto asked her.  
Sakura felt as if she was slapped. She looked the same? No distinct differences? Hadn't he noticed that she was more mature?! That she had gone up in bra size?! That dense twit!!! She screamed in her head.  
Without realizing she had stopped Naruto had walked a little ahead of her. When he noticed he looked back and asked, "Sakura?"  
That twit! She thought as she punched him for a loop.  
Naruto flew a little ways and landed on his face.  
Forget it! He doesn't deserve her!! What does she see in him?! Her mind roared as she stomped away.

Naruto was baffled at Sakura's actions. But more than that he was surprised at how much that hurt! Did I remember wrong on how much pain she could inflict or did she get stronger??? He wondered.  
Left with no option he continued on in a different direction than Sakura took, afraid that she'd send him for another loop.  
Smiling to himself he began to think of back when they were all kids and about his old friendship with Hinata.

"Hey Naruto where's your lunch?" Hinata inquired.  
"I left it at home by accident," He admitted, "Oh well I'll snack twice as much when I get home." He couldn't admit it but he was starved! He was in a rush that morning to go play with his friends that he forgot it entirely he even forgot to make his own lunch. Nothing I can do about it now. Naruto thought to himself.  
Hinata looked at him with a worried expression and then looked down at her feet.  
"You can share my lunch Naruto." She said quietly almost as if to herself.  
"Share your lunch? You'd do that?" He couldn't believe his ears! Was she seriously suggesting sharing her meal?  
"Of course. I don't mind. There's too much for me to eat anyway!" Hinata said quickly.  
"Thanks Hinata! You're a real pal!" He said grinning broadly! None of his other friends ever considered sharing with him. They just laughed at how dense he was and continued on.  
"N-No p-problem Naruto." She said now making eye contact with what looked to be a small smile.  
He couldn't help but smile back. She's cute when she smiles. He thought, and with that a question came to mind.  
"Hey Hinata, how come you don't hang out with the other girls?" Naruto asked her as he picked up a rice ball from her bento. It was true, ever since they first became friends a few days ago, he started noticing she preferred to talk to him rather than Sakura and them.  
"W-well you see we-well its fun to talk to you. I mean, the o-other girls aren't boring b-but compared to you they aren't as uh interesting!" Hinata stammered out quietly, with a small pink on her cheeks now evident as she ate a cracker.  
"I'm interesting? I've never been told that before." He stated.  
"You haven't really? You're the funniest person I know." She said with a wondrous note.  
Naruto noticed that this time didn't stammer. She had been getting good at that recently, he noted with satisfaction as his friends progress.  
"I'm the funniest? Well if I'm the funniest I guess that leaves you only one position." He told her.  
"And what's that?" Hinata asked now wary.  
"The cutest." He stated simply. Taking his opportunity, while she was frozen with a red face, he grabbed the last rice ball and downed it. "If you don't start eating, Hinata, I'm going to eat it all before you."  
"Okay, okay! Leave some for me!" Hinata chimed now realizing the situation.

"Hey Hinata I want you to have this." Naruto told her handing her a small violet flower.  
"A flower?" She asked shyly.  
"Yeah it reminds me of you. Keep it safe, ok?" He said as he handed it to her noting her small blush.  
"S-sure I promise I'll keep it forever." Hinata told him, looking at her feet obviously moved by his gift.  
Grinning to himself he leaned over and kissed her cheek. "I'll see you tomorrow Hinata!" He said as he dashed away proud of his daring move. He couldn't wait to see her tomorrow!

Hinata fondly held the little flower remembering all those years ago when she first realized her feelings for him.  
She remembered how when some bullies had been picking on her, Naruto played a prank on them. He put glue on the slide before their turn and they got themselves glued to the slide, they were stuck for hours it was so funny!  
Naruto always did play interesting pranks on people. She happily recalled, but what happened after that was what really got the event stuck in her mind.  
Naruto had picked her a small flower and gave it to her, and if that's not enough he kissed her on the cheek. It had taken her five minutes to realize he had left. I was in such a daze that I accidentally walked into the door at home, she recalled laughing to herself.  
It seems so long ago when that happened. She in fact had completely forgotten about that.

He suddenly spotted someone he wasn't fond of seeing at the moment, Sakura! A few minutes ago she went berserk and punched him.  
Contemplating where to hide from her fury, she spotted him and thankfully it seemed that she had calmed down.  
"There you are Naruto. Sorry about that, I thought I had learned to control myself when I got mad, but I guess I was wrong!" She told him apologetically.  
"No problem. So Sakura, why did you bring up Hinata earlier?" He asked her now curious, why did she bring her up? We were talking about something else entirely. He wondered in the back of his head.  
"Well we all used to hang out a lot when we were kids remember? She used to be stuck to you like glue! It was so cute. I wonder... why she stopped." She said almost to herself.  
"Well I think she found someone she liked better." He told her his voice now taking a know-it-all-ness edge.  
"What do you mean?" Sakura questioned now confused.  
"Don't you know? Hinata likes Kiba, that's why she stopped hanging out with me." He told her.

"What?! That can't be right!" Sakura said to Naruto. She couldn't believe what her teammate just said! Hinata, liking Kiba? Impossible!  
"It's true, Hinata likes Kiba." Naruto repeated to her.  
"How do you know this?" Sakura asked him suspiciously. Did Kiba tell him this? She had never thought Kiba might have feelings for Hinata, but she could be wrong. One thing was for certain, Hinata didn't have feelings for Kiba.  
"Well, it was a couple years ago when I found out." Naruto confessed to her.  
"Just tell me." She sighed now impatient for his so called proof.

Naruto couldn't wait to see Hinata he was so happy he was running to their usual meet-up place! He had kissed her yesterday, on the cheek but it was still a kiss, he had decided. He was going to tell Hinata that he liked her!  
He wondered if she liked him too. Who cares if he was just a kid? His feelings were real!  
He decided to take a short cut through Tea Avenue to cut time.  
The sweet smells made him want to stop and get a snack but he kept going wanting to beat Hinata there.  
"---- Kiba!" A familiar voice sounded out nearby.  
Was that Hinata's voice? He wondered. It sounded like it. Cool when I'll just meet up with her now!  
He had begun imagining what her face would look like when she saw him, when he spotted her by the entrance of a sweet shop. Curious to what she was doing he held back and waited to see what would happen.  
That's when Kiba walked back out of the store and handed something to Hinata. All of a sudden she hugged him.  
He felt his heart shred. He didn't even need to ask. In the back of his head he had always had a feeling that this would happen. Hinata had found someone she liked better. He knew he had to let her go. And with that turned and walked away.

After explaining why he knew that Hinata liked someone else, he could only look at his feet in shame.  
"You didn't even ask her what that was about?" Sakura inquired.  
"I didn't HAVE to! It was so obvious I mean what more proof do you need?" He barked at her aware that his voice was failing him in his sadness, and that he didn't have to yell at his friend.  
"Well I have to say that something like that is out of the ordinary but I can say without a doubt Hinata doesn't like Kiba. If you don't believe me ask Kiba himself!" She told him simply.  
"Are you sure?" He asked her unsure why she was so persistent.  
"Just go! Unless you want me to drag you to him by your ear?" She threatened.  
"No thank you. But how am I supposed to find him?" He asked Sakura.  
"Kiba told me yesterday that he and Shino planned to have lunch at Shushuya." She explained to him while getting behind and pushing him toward its direction.  
"The Chinese place?" Naruto now asked.  
"Yes the Chinese place, now go!" She yelled shoving him having lost patience with him.  
"But what if Hinata's there?" He called back now while walking down the street.  
"She won't she's helping Shizune!" Sakura yelled back at him, "If you hurry you might catch them!"  
Now having no choice he continued on toward Shushuya.

Really hasn't changed much. Naruto thought to himself as he neared his destination.  
Now standing in front of the restaurant he wondered if it was still too late to turn back.  
Deciding that Sakura would kill him if he did, he entered the restaurant. Quickly looking around he began to think they weren't there, until he spotted the familiar spiky brown hair he had seen so many times before.  
Naruto walked up slowly and asked, "Kiba, is that you?"  
The person turned to look at him, "Naruto, you're back?" Kiba asked as a toothy grin spread across his face. "Been a long time, have a seat!" He commanded as he scooted over for Naruto.  
Kiba really hadn't changed, Naruto thought as he sat down. Just now noticing the silent gaze of a stranger on the other side of the booth.  
"Who's this?" Naruto asked. The stranger had a hood, for some reason pulled up, and sunglasses.  
"It's Shino." Kiba told him absentmindedly.  
"Shino?" Now looking back at him he recognized that gaze he was giving him. Naruto hadn't realized.  
"Some people think it's rude to not recognize a friend." Shino said to him in his no feeling voice.  
"Sorry its been so long not to mention that new getup." Naruto said apologetically wondering if Shino was sore about from the way he had spoken.  
Suddenly realizing an absence he asked, "Where's Akamaru?"  
"He can't come in." Kiba told him simply.  
"What? They don't like mutts?" He joked.  
"Actually it's because he can't fit in the door." Shino said pointing out the window at a gigantic dog.  
"That's Akamaru?!" He screamed not believing his eyes.  
"Yup he went through a growth spurt. Cool huh?" Kiba told him.  
"Yeah cool." Naruto responded now remembering why he had come.  
"Hey Kiba, can I ask you something?" Naruto inquired.  
"Yea what?" Kiba answered now curious.  
"Does Hinata like you?" He blurted out quickly.

Did Kiba just hear what he thought he heard? Did Naruto just ask that? Is he kidding? Looking over at Shino and meeting his gaze, it was almost as if he silently sending these questions to him. He had to be kidding he decided, and looking back at Naruto realized he was serious. He couldn't help it.  
Kiba began laughing. It was so silly! Hinata like him? What was Naruto thinking?  
He was aware that Shino was trying to restrain himself to be polite, but Kiba could care less. Naruto deserved to be laughed at for his foolish idea!  
"W-what? Why are you laughing?" Naruto asked now confused.  
"That's a good one Naruto, Hinata liking me!" Kiba told him still laughing.  
"But you guys are always together!" Naruto blurted.  
"We're on the same team." Shino stated.  
"She doesn't like you?" Naruto asked now with a dumbfounded look on his face.  
"No dolt she doesn't." Kiba told him now losing patience.  
"But what about when we were kids? I saw you guys hugging!" He told him quickly.  
"Hugging? Outside the sweet shop? You baka she didn't hug me 'cause she liked me! Hinata was thanking me!" Kiba explained to him. Naruto thought she liked me because of a hug? How dumb is he?  
"Thanking you? For what?" He asked.  
Kiba could imagine the hamster that ran his brain on overdrive.

"Hinata what are you doing?" Kiba asked her. Kiba had seen her walk up to the sweet shop and stand there looking up and down, half turning and then turning back, as if contemplating whether or not to go in.  
"Oh Kiba I uh want to g-get a candy, but I don't have any money, but I really want to get something." She explained quietly as if afraid of being heard.  
"Well I'll go get it for you." Kiba told her.  
"You will? I-I don't want to be troublesome!" Hinata said quickly.  
"Don't worry about it. I'll be right back." He told her. "What do you want anyway?"  
"One of those orange lollipops." She said looking at her feet with a blush on her face.  
When he came back out he gave her the candy. She looked at it and then looked at him thinking. She then reached over and hugged him.  
"Hinata, why are you hugging me???" Kiba asked now embarrassed that a girl was hugging him, and hoping that no one else saw. His friends would never let him live it down!  
"Thank you so much Kiba! You have no idea how happy this makes me! Thank you!" Hinata told him quickly releasing him.  
"No problem, why did you want it so bad anyway?" Kiba asked her now curious.  
"It's for someone I really like." She said quietly now looking at the candy endearingly.  
"Whatever. See ya later Hinata." He said, now having enough of this gooshy stuff, leaving.

Naruto couldn't believe his ears. It was because of a candy? A candy had broken his heart? She didn't like Kiba after all?  
"Well anyway let's go Shino." Kiba said to Shino, getting up and walking over Naruto.  
"Aren't you going to order?" Naruto asked him, baffled that they were leaving already.  
"We already did. See ya!" Kiba called back leaving quickly.  
"Your bill sir." A waitress said to him handing him an expensive bill.  
"No it isn't mine! I didn't order!" Naruto babbled not wanting to pay up.  
"Someone has to pay and it ain't gonna be me so it has to be you." The waitress barked, slamming the bill on the table and leaving.  
She reminds me of a certain pink haired konoichi I know. Naruto thought as he pulled out his wallet.

Hinata had been walking around when she came across the old playground. She remembered sadly when things went wrong.

She would have to make sure to get Kiba something! It was thanks to him that she now had her present for Naruto. She was so happy she couldn't wait to see Naruto and give him the candy.  
Arriving first at their meeting place on the playground wasn't unusual. She was almost always first. He would be here soon, he never kept her waiting long. She thought. And when he got there she was going to tell him she liked him.

Days later she had still not seen Naruto. Why isn't he around? It made no sense to her.  
"Hey Hinata, wanna hang out with us?" Ino called over to her.  
Well, maybe hanging out with them will cheer me up. Hinata thought to herself as she walked over to them.

"You haven't hung out with us for awhile!" Sakura remarked as they strolled through the village.  
"Having too much fun with your boyfriend?" Tenten joked.  
"H-he's not my b-boyfriend!" She said quickly. She had hoped that they would stay away from this topic. She was still confused by his silence toward her.  
"Speaking of Naruto, isn't that him over there?" Ino asked pointing to a group of boys.  
Hinata looked up, to only confirm what Ino had said. Did he forget that he was supposed to meet her in the playground? How could he? They always met up there! Was he tired of her? These ran through her mind like an angry hive of bees. She didn't understand this sudden change in behavior.  
"It looks like he's finally hanging out with guys again." Sakura stated.  
"Hey lets go get some cake!" Tenten suggested, now heading to the nearby sweet shop.  
"Are you coming Hinata?" Sakura now asked her.  
"Sure." Hinata responded with little enthusiasm.

From where they sat Hinata had a good view of Naruto's group. That smile was so familiar to her. She remembered the candy she was going to give to Naruto, but now she was too nervous to actually walk up to him. He hadn't talked to her in days. She was also afraid of walking over to him when he was surrounded by so many people. What would they say? Would they laugh at her?  
While these thoughts ran through her mind Sakura noticed her silence, and where her gaze was directed.  
"Hinata you haven't touched your cake." Sakura noted. "What's wrong?" She asked sitting beside her.  
"W-well I really want t-to give Naruto something, but I-I'm too afraid to walk over." Hinata admitted shamefully. She was so pathetic. She couldn't even walk over!  
"It's bothering you that much?" Sakura asked.  
"Yes." She said quietly wishing she could be braver.  
"Give it to me." Sakura told her.  
"What?" Hinata asked now confused. Sakura wants my lollipop?  
"Just give it." Sakura said now losing patience with her.  
"O-okay!" Hinata stuttered handing over the candy.  
"Be right back." Sakura said to her as she got up and walked over to the little group.

"Here." A voice said while they shoved a lollipop in his face.  
Naruto looked up and saw Sakura as the one who was giving it to him.  
"Someone who likes you wants you to have this." She told as she left.  
Wait Sakura likes me? Naruto thought. She is kind of cute.

Hinata wondered if Naruto would ever talk to her again as she once again hung out with Ino and Tenten.  
"Good morning Sakura!" Ino called over to Sakura as she walked up.  
"Good morning Ino." Sakura greeted her as a familiar face walked up to Sakura.  
"Hey Sakura, I really like you." Naruto told Sakura.  
Hinata felt as if her heart had stopped. Naruto likes Sakura??? She contemplated this as Sakura's mouth dropped open in disbelief and Naruto kissed her cheek.  
Sakura, suddenly enraged, punched his face. "You dummy! Yuck! Don't talk to me!" She screamed at him completely angry at his actions.  
"But Sakura." Naruto whined while rubbing his cheek where Sakura had hit him.  
"Don't talk to me!" She yelled as she stomped away.  
"Sakura wait up!" He called running after her.  
Laughing Tenten and Ino clutched their sides obviously finding this hilarious.  
Naruto likes Sakura? He kissed her cheek, she thought as her heart sank more and more with each passing second. Did he not like her after all? Did she...have to move on now?

Kiba is toast when I find him. Naruto raged in his head, imagining what he was going to do to Kiba, when he suddenly recognized the street he was on.  
"Hey, isn't this the road I used to take to get to the old playground? Hey it is!" He exclaimed happily. He hadn't been there in years, since when he became a ninja he had too many missions to do to have time for it.  
It was where he had come up with all those pranks he was famous for back in the academy. Chuckling with the memory he headed on toward there.

"Wow I can't believe how small this place is. It seemed so much bigger back then." He wondered out loud as he viewed his old play place. The slide, upon inspection, still had marks from the glue on it that one time he noted. The jungle gym looks rusty and the swing sets-.  
His trail of thought ended when he suddenly realized someone was on one of the swings with their back to him.  
A girl, maybe? He thought due to the long dark hair and jacket the person had. They seemed around his age, but he wasn't entirely sure.  
Maybe it's Neji; he suddenly thought and started laughing at the thought of Neji in girl clothes.  
The person on the swing apparently heard the laugh and turned to face him.  
It was a girl. A really pretty one he noted. She had long dark hair, a loose jacket and pale lavender eyes he noted taking her in.  
Wait pale eyes? She's a hyuuga! He suddenly realized and wondered if it was...  
"Naruto?" The girl asked quietly her eyes widening.  
It is her! No else talks like that! He realized. This ultra pretty girl is quiet little Hinata???  
"Yea, uh, I just got back." He told her.  
A strange silence stretched. If there was any a time when air could choke it'd be now, he thought.  
"I-I thought it was you, but I-I wasn't sure b-because, I mean I-I haven't seen you in such a long t-time." Hinata managed to stutter out with a red flush over taking her cheeks.  
"Yeah you look so different Hinata! I didn't even recognize you!" Naruto said quickly wondering why he was so nervous. Though it probably had something to do with what everyone had been telling him all day.  
That's when he put two and two together. Kiba got Hinata an orange lollipop. Hinata told Kiba it was for someone she liked. Sakura had given him an orange lollipop and said it was from someone who liked him so... was she referring to Hinata?! And IF that was the same lollipop does that mean that Hinata likes HIM??? Now screamed in his head slightly aware that he was making a face, and that his cheeks were getting hot.  
"Um Naruto, are you okay?" Hinata squeaked apparently startled by his actions.  
"Yea I'm fine! So you're a chuunin now?" He asked not even paying attention. His mind was swirling with these questions and possibilities. Did she like him???  
"How did you know?" She asked him now surprised.  
"Sakura told me earlier." He informed her noting an expression change.  
"I see." She responded looking away.  
Naruto had the feeling he said something he shouldn't have.

Hinata wondered if Naruto still liked Sakura. She had been comfortable with them on the same team because Sakura had liked Sasuke. But now that he was gone did that mean Sakura could end up liking Naruto? Her heart sank as she contemplated this.  
"Um Hinata, is it alright if I ask you something?" Naruto asked warily looking at the ground.  
Surprised by his sudden shyness she told him sure.  
"Well ,uh, do you uh." Naruto stuttered obviously embarrassed.  
"Yes?" She asked interested in what had him so rattled.  
"Well do you uh like...sweets?" He sighed looking exhausted and ashamed for some reason.  
"What?" Hinata asked now confused.  
"Oh forget it! Forget I said anything!" He yelled turning away trying to hide his face.  
Hinata suddenly realized that he was blushing. Naruto was blushing, over what? She wondered. He was acting so weird today.  
An awkward silence passed as they gathered their thoughts.

Why did I say that?! She must think I'm stupid! Do you like sweets?! ARG I'm such an idiot!! His inner voice screamed.  
'Yes you are.' The kyuubi agreed.  
Shut up! No one asked you! He thought as he booted the kyuubi out from his consciousness.  
"Um...Naruto?" Hinata's voice quietly asked.  
Curious he turned to face his friend.  
"Well I...I..." She mumbled. Taking a deep breath she yelled, "I REALLY LIKE YOU!"  
If Sakura's punches sent him looping several feet, this made his mind loop several miles.  
For one thing he had never heard her yell like that, another was because she had never been that brave, and yet another was because of the realization that SHE LIKED HIM!!! He was dumbfounded. He was only slightly aware that he was gawking and that his mouth was hanging open waiting for a fly to come in.  
Her eyes were on the ground and her face was lit up. "I-I'm sorry. I had to get that off my chest. B-Bye Naruto!" She said quickly rushing to the hyuuga complex leaving him staring at nothing.

She felt like an idiot! She didn't know where that outburst had come from. Hinata was ashamed. She had told her crush how she felt; more like screamed it, only to be faced by a shocked look.  
Naruto must think I'm such a freak. He's been gone for about two years and his first day back I had confessed!  
Burying her face in her pillow, she wished it was a giant rock that she could crawl under, and crush herself with.  
She heard tapping at her door. The family was definitely asleep by now, so she didn't know who it could be. As she got up and went to the door she briefly thought that it might be Naruto, but just laughed at the idea.  
Like he would sneak into the hyuuga complex just to see her, as if that could ever happen! She thought as she opened the door.  
"Hey Hinata!" Naruto greeted her.  
There was a pause as her brain absorbed the fact that Naruto had snuck into the hyuuga complex to see her.  
"Naruto?!" Hinata squeaked utterly shocked.  
"The one and only." He stated with a broad grin as he slipped into her room.  
"W-Why are y-you here?" She asked him beginning to feel faint because of how close they were.  
"Well I have to tell you something." He said looking down with a serious expression.  
Her heart sank as she wondered what had changed his mood.  
"What is it?" She asked reluctantly.  
"I did some thinking and decided that," he stopped suddenly and turned to her. He pulled her into his arms, leaned down and kissed her full on the lips, "I liked you too." He admitted with a smile.  
She felt her heart skip a beat. He liked her? Seriously? He kissed me! We're so close now! Her mind rushed. She wondered if this is what cloud nine felt like. Her heart was racing.  
"Y-you do?" Hinata asked him aware that her face was heating up. She couldn't believe it.  
"Yup believe it." Naruto told her grinning ear to ear.  
Now she seriously thought she was going to faint!  
"I'll see you tomorrow okay?" He told Hinata releasing her and heading to the door.  
"You're leaving already???" She asked shocked that he was going just after getting there.  
"What? Do you wanna do 'other things'? He asked her putting special emphases on the phrase other thing.  
Realizing what he was referring to she responded very quickly, "No thank you."  
"I was just kidding. How about we go on a date tomorrow?" He told her laughing at her reaction.  
"Where to?" Hinata asked.  
"Anywhere, everywhere, I don't know. We'll find out when it happens. Meet you at the old spot?" Naruto asked her playfully.  
"S-sure." Hinata responded. It was like a dream. He actually wanted to go on a date with her!  
"See you then." He said as he crept out the door and down the hall.  
"Yeah see you then Naruto." She said almost as if to herself, wondering what tomorrow would bring.


End file.
